


Mercy

by memeshxdow



Series: Purity Heart's Champion AU (The Side Stories and other Timeline Bits) [1]
Category: Mario & Luigi RPG (Video Games), Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Super Mario & Related Fandoms
Genre: (but ye they're still there bc this is in BiS after all), (due to a sudden popular demand on tumblr i've decided to post this here), (enjoy ya'll!), (recently an artist i very much respect on the site found this and they drew REALLY good fanart), (since this is technically related now to Of Beans and Dark Stars i'm gon tag it as such too), (starlow and the bros only rlly have a cameo here), Angst with a Happy Ending, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Mild Blood, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Purity Heart's Champion AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-20
Updated: 2018-01-20
Packaged: 2019-03-07 03:09:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13425480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/memeshxdow/pseuds/memeshxdow
Summary: Thanks to a certain interruption on Bowser's part, Fawful is forced to search for the other part of the Dark Star. But in doing so, Fawful encounters Bowser once again, and Bowser finally faces off against the Bean, not only with anger over Fawful controlling his minions, but with worry about Fawful himself. Concerned dad approach ensues.(Goes with the Purity Heart's Champion AU, but was written prior to Of Beans and Dark Stars. Major spoilers for the very end of Bowser's Inside Story!)





	Mercy

**Author's Note:**

> (before I actually go on with the fanfic, I wanna give a shoutout here to my friend Bat, otherwise known as lesbiancackletta on tumblr! I actually wasn't considering putting this here until they'd found my work there and drew some fanart (which in turn gained more attention for this fic). This posting is partly in honor of them for resparking my confidence in getting this put here, and also for actually updating Of Beans and Dark Stars. 
> 
> Because of this, I'm going to put the link to their fanart here as sort of a pesudo-cover for this piece! Please go support their work on their blog! https://lesbiancackletta.tumblr.com/post/169903677503/sleepy-based-on-memeshxdows-phenomenal Thank you for reading!)

Bowser approached the meeting room of Peach’s castle after a bit, having needed Chippy’s directions to get him there. A pit of dread settled in his stomach, although thankfully it stayed a figure of speech, and he walked forward into the room, wincing at the doors he’d half-eaten at the beginning of his misadventure. In front of him, he spotted the child, dressed in a dark blue and red cloak, possessing a device of some kind and singing to himself. Bowser was sure the Beanish boy was looking for his dark, edgy self, from his continuous mentions of the Dark Star.

A growly ‘ahem’ escaped Bowser to force Fawful to pay attention to him, and it worked, with the boy turning to face him completely, making sure to put the device away. The red glasses instantly unsettled Bowser, but there was no visible sign of this on his face. Fawful gave a _sickening_ grin, and spoke, his voice dripping with a sickening sense of dark glee and fury.

“So… You have had the coming here. What is being the plans you have? It’s _not_ being like Fawful will have the stopping,” Fawful growled, dark magic sparking at his fingertips as he spoke, his arms bare and his clothes being dark purple, marked with a black star emblem on the tank top, and the boots having metallic pieces to decorate it. Bowser noted that the magical gauntlet he’d seen Fawful using earlier was missing, assumedly due to Fawful having no need for it, and even Fawful’s food metaphors were missing.

But Bowser took one good look at Fawful, staring far enough into the boy’s thick glasses, and he saw a bit of wonder, amazement and a hint of fear and confusion. The Koopa king was reminded of some past words he’d once heard Luigi say that Fawful had…

_“..and that means… the true meaning of our battle gives me fear and confusion!”_

Bowser had a small feeling, with those words, that the look in the crazed Beanish boy’s eyes said he didn’t _really_ know what he was doing after all. Fawful had no idea what kind of power was really in his hands, nor was he sure what to do with it.

Only Bowser knew that though, and Fawful spoke again before he could bring this up, tilting his head at the much larger Koopa in front of him.

“Nothing? You have silence? Then, we will have the fighting.. Bowser, meet…”

Fawful’s voice turned to a crescendo as he crossed his arms dramatically, his Vaccum Helmet (or Headgear) activating…

**“FURY OF FAWFUL!”**

The battle begun with swiftness, and Fawful immediately made his Headgear latch onto the chandelier above the meeting room, swinging backwards before propelling his own body towards Bowser, feet ready to kick at Bowser’s face. Bowser punched him backwards, being careful to punch only the Headgear for some reason, and Fawful flew backwards, making a weird laughing noise before repeating the attack.

After having to punch Fawful two more times, Bowser watched as the Headgear detached from Fawful, allowing the boy to float off the ground and begin some attack with what Bowser assumed was portals. An orb of lavender-colored energy went through a portal aimed at Bowser’s face, and it was punched out of existence the moment he saw it. The attack repeated for a bit, then stopped, and Fawful and his Headgear were reunited. Fawful finally said something again, and to Bowser’s surprise, his reverberating voice had a bit of a pained tone.

**“Why did you have the hurting of Midbus.. You had the bad timing.. We could have… done the conquering together…”** Fawful said, firing a laser from within his cloak. The attack’s slowness gave Bowser enough time to formulate some reply to this, although he was tense and waiting for the attack to lunge at him like Midbus’s punches.

“ _Look_ , Fawful, you were only preventing the inevitable. You know _damn_ well you’re going to lose.” Great job, Bowser, nice way to be insensitive. “Besides.. If you really loved Midbus that much, I think you should have fought in his place anyway.”

**“I h-had the warning of him! You lack the understanding of the pain candy you gave to Fawful!”** the Beanish boy yelled, waiting until Bowser dodged his attack to unleash another round of the ‘black hole’ attack. _**“I will have the satisfaction of seeing you have the tearing apart, like a mighty lion tearing its prey into being shreds!”**_

Bowser cracked his knuckles and braced himself, blocking the new attacks with his shell and speaking again, his amber hues becoming daggers while staring into Fawful’s eyes. “You’re the one who won’t get it through your miserable skull! You don’t understand the kind of power you have! Y-you’ll die if your plan fails!”

The stuttered voice caught Fawful off guard, and it did so also to the three who were spectating down in Bowser’s stomach, who fell over in surprise at hearing what Bowser had to say. It didn’t surprise Luigi (and Mario, a little bit) that Bowser was trying to be civil for once, since Luigi knew firsthand of the king’s own kindness from the times Bowser let him babysit Junior and all that, but it was a shock to Starlow. Especially considering the child in front of Bowser, still launching attacks within rage at the big Koopa king.

_**“HAVE THE UP-SHUT! HAVE THE LEAVING ALONE OF FAWFUL, FOREVER!”**_ Fawful roared, feeling steaming tears in his eyes when he was suddenly flung to the ground. The Headgear was destroyed, now nothing more than a crumpled heap on the ground. This made the fury in Fawful’s heart come to its fever pitch, and with a great cry, the Beanish boy took all the power he had and lashed out.

The battle fell into silence as Fawful launched many attacks at Bowser, trying to internally work out what Bowser had said to him. He _did_ know what he was doing, he’d _planned_ this for quite a while! _The Headgear and Midbus were just liabilities! He’ll do what is needed to get the Dark Star!_

Bowser continued to block and attack, at one point managing to cut Fawful’s leg with his claws. He felt bad for doing that, but he was scared that Fawful wouldn’t listen to him either way.

A thought crossed Fawful’s mind again in consideration of Bowser’s words, though. He and Cackletta had taken a lot of time together to plan the demise of the Kingdoms with the Beanstar, but everything had unraveled thanks to those mustaches and Bowser. Even now, things were falling apart.. Fawful’s heart hurt at the very thought of Cackletta, and the hurt became worse with thinking of Midbus. He’d lost them. He was the one that let them die.

Fawful stood and panted slightly from all the effort he’d put into the fight, realizing briefly that his left leg was stinging quite painfully and becoming a near-debilitating throb, and that he had small cuts all over, and especially that he had let his thoughts run for so long, Bowser had weakened him, little by little. The Beanish boy figured he still had enough power to rid himself of Bowser, so he summoned dark purple spheres, posing and seemingly inviting Bowser to try and defeat him.

“Lord Bowser! We’ll take care of him, don’t worry. This cur is not worth your time!” a random Goomba called out, the voice suddenly being familiar to Fawful. The Beanish boy didn’t quite recognize the Goomba without that silly little flag on his head, but had a sickening feeling as Bowser punched him into Fawful’s face. The impact broke his glasses, a crack or two appearing in the swirly, unsettling lenses.

Another Goomba came flying towards him, and this one hit his stomach, making him produce a low groan. Fawful fell down onto the ground, falling to his knees and also right onto his leg wound. The Beanish boy held out a hand and propped himself up the best he could, hissing at how everything stung.

Bowser held the next Goomba back, and this signaled the battle’s end, the Goombas skittering off elsewhere to keep the castle in Bowser’s control for now. This just left Fawful and Bowser, all alone in the meeting room, which now had even more damage due to all the attacks they’d flung at each other.

“..Fawful?” Bowser inquired, his voice soft and gentle, the kind of tone that he normally reserved for his eight children, who seemed to like Fawful enough– Fawful had met them all when Peasley let Ludwig perform in the Beanbean Kingdom for his debut as a composer, and he had become an instant hit. Bowser remembered that Fawful himself had apparently come to the concert, and thanks to Iggy, had befriended all the Koopalings and even Junior in one night. They pretty much loved him like another brother.

Fawful only looked up, his lips wobbling and his one, actually visible yellow-orange eye filled with defeat and hurting. Fawful wanted to curl up and cry until Cackletta came and took him home. No, _she_ was gone. She game-overed. Fawful had to remember that, but it was so hard to accept. Six years wasn’t enough..

Bowser gave a sigh, not expecting an answer out of the younger person of the two, and he pulled out from his shell a first-aid kit, locating some gauze before walking up to Fawful. Fawful expected for Bowser to do something like punch him again, but instead, the Koopa knelt down next to him, motioning for Fawful to move so his leg was in better view.

“W-what are you… d-doing? This is being o-out of charactering,” Fawful murmured, watching as Bowser grasped his left foot and used his free hand to pull up the torn pant sleeve to get at the wound better. Fawful squirmed slightly in pain when Bowser did this, yelping and trying to get out of Bowser’s grip. “T-that has the aching!”

“Hey, I need you to calm down. I’m just wrapping your leg up,” Bowser rebutted, soon gently wrapping the stinging wound in cloud-colored cloths that absorbed the blue-green blood. Fawful stared in some sickened curiosity at the wound until Bowser moved him slightly, all while his clothes and cracked glasses went back to normalcy. Fawful scowled, but to his surprise, after Bowser finished taking care of his leg, he was lifted up into Bowser’s arms. Then, the Beanish boy made a realization.

“O-oh.. I have tiredness.. I.. want to have the sleeping,” Fawful said, finding he was very exhausted, and he leaned against Bowser’s chest, time slowing around him significantly. Generally, he hadn’t slept much, had been drained by the dark power and was beaten up from the battle. Plus, the soft thumping of Bowser’s heartbeat was already lulling him towards the tempting pull of sleep, all while Bowser carefully lifted him up and started towards the roof of the castle. Fawful felt reminded of how Cackletta always carried him to bed with his head near her heart to soothe him, and curled up in Bowser’s arms, not caring anymore if his leg screamed in protest.

“..There you go.. Get some rest, kiddo. I’ll take care of that creepy fake me, don’t you worry.” Bowser softly smiled at Fawful to try and cheer him up, since he seemed upset and sad about what just happened. Fawful gave a sleepy nod and returned to listening to the soft _'ba-thump’_ of Bowser’s heart, for once deciding to listen to Bowser.

“O-okaying…”

Fawful actually felt.. quite safe, now that he thought about it. It confused the hell out of Fawful considering he and Bowser were supposed to be enemies, but he figured Bowser was probably saving him out of pity rather than proper mercy. The young inventor still didn’t understand yet, but he also felt too tired to question it further.

Fawful couldn’t help it any longer, he had to nap, at least a little nap… After nestling himself one final time in Bowser’s chest like the young child he still was, Fawful let himself slip into sleep at last.


End file.
